Safety astragal

ABSTRACT

A safety astragal particularly adapted for use with members in a common plane comprising a closure means for a shaftway opening is disclosed. The astragal includes a first open-ended fixed channel section of non-flammable material and a second open-ended channel section comprised of articulated links of similar material, each of which is supported by and protrudes from the open end of the first channel section and is receivable within that channel section when movement in a direction toward the same is imparted thereto. The disclosure also includes a novel arrangement of a non-flammable flame barrier overlapping the adjacent ends of the side walls of each of the articulated links whereby the astragal becomes substantially resistant to the passage of flames therethrough.

United States Patent 1 1 Weaver 5} Nov. 12, 1974 l l SAFETY ASTRAGALPrimary Examiner-Philip C. Kannan {75] Inventor. Herbert Schuyler WeaverAttorney, Agent, or F1rm-Carlt0n B. F1tchett Poughkeepsic, NY. [73]Assignce: Sedgwick Machine Works, Inc., [57] ABSTRACT Poughkccpsie. N.Y.A safety astragal part1cularly adapted for use w1th [221 Fllcdi June1973 members in a common plane comprisinga closure l2l Appl. No.:369,224 means for a shaftway opening is disclosed. The astragal includesa first open-ended fixed channel section of non-flammable material and asecond open-ended [52] U5. Ll. 49/370, 49/26 Channel Section Comprised farticulated links f Simi- [511 int. Cl E06b 3/44, EOSf 7/00 lar materiaheach f which is Supported by and [58] new of Search 49/370- 366, trudesfrom the open end of the first channel section 49/26 2&470'1 16O/40-201i 187/58 and is receivable within that channel section when movementin a direction toward the same is imparted [56] References C'tedthereto. The disclosure also includes a novel arrange- UNITED STATESPATENTS ment of a non-flammable flame barrier overlapping 1.175.9253/1916 Bumbarger 49 370 x the adjacent ends Of the sidewalls of each ofthe artic- 2.(5x7 455 8/1954 Norman 49 27 x l d links whereby theastragal becomes substan- 33521159 1 l/l967 Metz 49/27 tially resistantto the passage of flames therethrough. 3,537.21] l l/l97l) Guilbert. Jr.et al. 49/27 3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures I I l i I I 1 1 1 1 l 1 r'1 1]1 11:: q 1 11 '1 1 A? l A I l g l l I ,/6c 1 2 l" i tj 1 I r m 1 /6 /6as l 1 i 1.2 l //l/ 1' i I I1 {1 1 7;: 55512222. 1 1 L I 1 1 1 l lSAFETY ASTRAGAL The present invention relates to astragals and moreastragals provide a non-crushing joint between the closure members,their ability to provide a flame barrier for-more than a short timeleaves much to be desired.

The safety astragal according to the present invention includes afirstopen-ended fixed channel section of non-flammable material and asecond open-ended channel section comprised of movable articulated linksof similar material, each of which is supported by and protrudes fromthe open end of the first channel section and is receivable within thatchannel section when movement, in a direction toward the same isimparted thereto. The astragal herein disclosed is also provided withflame barriers of nonflammable material which overlap the adjacent endsof the sidewalls of each of the articulated links. j

j The 1971 edition of the American Standard Safety Code Section 110,Rule ll0.l2(d) applicable to closure members for shaftway openingsrequires compli- A more clear conception of the operation, constructionand still further objects of the invention may be had from the followingspecification when read in the light of the attached drawings showingthe astragal according to this invention applied to the bi-partingpanels of a common form of closure for a shaftway opening in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of bi-parting panel if membersshowing the fixed section andarticulated ance with a National Standardtest set out by the Unthe junction between the closure members arrangedin a common plane whichwill satisfy the terms of the above-noted sectionof the American Safety Code and be eligible to bear the above-notedUnderwriters Laboratories label, for manually operated or power operatedclosure members.

Another object is to provide on power operated doors a further safetymeans adapted to be actuated when 'one or moreof the movable links ofthe articulated astragal section is for any reason forced out of itsnormal position or alignment relative to the fixed astragal section,such actuation breaking a fail-safe or control circuit to thereby stopfurther movement of the closure members to'which the astragal has beenapplied. v

A further object is to provide a safety astragal that is simple inoperation,'inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to install on new and/orexisting closure members movable in a common plane for a shaftwayopening in order to provide an effective flame barrier at the junctiontherebetween.

It will be understood that the term closure members and/or closure meansas used herein includes a closure incorporating a-single panel. as wellvas biparting panel membersrln the. former arrangement, the

- astragal according to this inventionmay be inserted between the heador sill of the shaftway opening with the single movablepanel memberadapted for vertical sliding movement to and from the head or sill. Inthe latter arrangement, theastragal according to the invention isinserted between the junction edges of the bi-parting panel members.

movable link section of an astragal according to the present inventionin their closed position and includes a schematic representation of ahuman hand positioned between those sections;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the bi-parting panel members ofFIG. 1 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a portion of the astragal shown inFIG. 1 in a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the astragal members taken online 44 of FIG. 3 in a still larger scale;

FIGSLS, 6 and 7 are a partial side elevational view, a partial top planview, and an end view, respectively, of one of the movable links of theastragal;

FIG. 8 is a partial side elevational view of the other end of themovable link shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a complete astragal according tothis invention and shows a means for actuating a fail-safe circuit forpower operated doors in connection with a displacement of any link ofthe articulated section of the same from its normal at-rest position.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, an astragal 10 accordingto the invention is shown, for illustrative purposes only and not by wayof a limitation, secured to the upper of the bi-parting doors 11 and 12of a closure for a shaftway of the type used by dum bwaiters, serviceelevators, etc. The doors 11 and 12 are arranged and supported withinthe frame 13 of an opening in the shaftway within which the dumbwaiter(not shown) is operated. As will be seen from FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, theastragal 10 is made up of a fixed channel section 14 secured at its base14c by means such as welding to the junction edge 11a of the bi-partingmember 11, and an articulated channel section 15 comprised ofinterconnected links 16, the links 16 being freely supported within theouter end 14a of the fixed channel section 14 as shown in detail in FIG.4. The links 16 are adapted for movement into the space 14b within thechannel section 14 should an obstacle be introduced between the upperedge 12a of the lower biparting panel member 12 and the outer end 16a ofany of the links 16 of the articulated channel section 15 of theastragal 10. The space 16b within the articulated channel section 15 isso dimensioned as to receive therein the junction edge 12a and a portionof the lower bi-parting panel member 12.

The construction details of each of the interconnected links 16 areshown in FIGS.'5 through 8. In addition to the details already describedabove in connection with FIG. 4, it is here pointed out that a flamebarrier piece 17 and a guide shoe 18 are arranged in a complementaryrelation (see FIGS. 6 and 8) at each end of each link 16, and further,the side walls at each end of each link 16 are cut on a slant as shownat 19 so as to accommodate arching of the links (see FIG. 1) when anobstruction is placed between the astragal 10 carried by the bi-partingmember 11 and the other bipartingpanel member 12. A barrier piece 17 issecured to the side wall of eachlink 16 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 tocover the opening between the adjacent link side walls due to the slantcut 19 noted above. Each of the flame barriers 17 is likewise cut on aslant as shown at 17a to accommodate arching of the links (see FIG. 1).

With identical links 16 in the form described above and arranged in thedevice according to this invention, it will be obvious that theresultant astragal will, when used in connection with bi-parting panelmembers, provide a non-crushing edge and a substantial flame barrier atthe joint between such members.

A further safety means may be easily included in the astragal accordingto this invention whereby a fail-safe control circuit for power doorsmay be activated to stop movement of the bi-parting panel members. Oneform of such a device is shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings. As shown inthe drawing, a switch arm driving wire is stretched between the outeredges of and within the fixed channel section 14 of the astragal justabove the upper edge 160 of the links 16. Hence, when one or more of thelinks 16 is caused to arch upwardly, due to its encountering an obstaclewhen the bi-parting members 11 and 12 are moved to a closed position(see FIG. 1), the upper edge 16c thereof will engage the stretched wire20 thereby activating switch 21 in a failsafe circuit (not shown) andstopping further movement of the bi-parting panel members.

It willbe apparent from the foregoing description and the drawingsillustrating the invention in a preferred form that the objectsattributable thereto will be fulfilled. The astragal herein disclosedincludes flame barriers sufficient to enable it to meet the NationalStandard test set out by the Underwriters Laboratories,

Inc. and, in addition, provides a means for a mechanical non-crushingedge between manually operated panel members together with a fail-safemeans for stopbase to the junction edge of the first panel member, the

second channel member being comprised of a plurality of articulatedlinks, each of the said links being freely supported by and protrudingfrom the open end of the first channel member and being receivablewithin the first channel member when movement in a direction toward thesame is imparted thereto, the junction edge and a portion of the secondpanel being receivable within the second channel member when the membersare moved to a closed position.

2. An astragal according to claim 1 in which the means supporting thearticulated links of the second channel member include an inwardlyextending flange at the open end of the first channel member and acooperating outwardly extending flange at the closed end of each of thelinks of the second channel member.

3. An astragal according to claim 1 which includes means operable by anysubstantial entry of any link of the second channel member into thefirst channel member whereby further movement of the panel members isstopped.

1. An astragal for closing the junction between panel members movable ina common plane between an open and a closed position including, incombination, first and second panel members having adjacent junctionedges, first and second open-ended channel members, said first channelmember being fixedly secured at its base to the junction edge of thefirst panel member, the second channel member being comprised of aplurality of articulated links, each of the said links being freelysupported by and protruding from the open end of the first channelmember and being receivable within the first channel member whenmovement in a direction toward the same is imparted thereto, thejunction edge and a portion of the second panel being receivable withinthe second channel member when the members are moved to a closedposition.
 2. An astragal according to claim 1 in which the meanssupporting the articulated links of the second channel member include aninwardly extending flange at the open end of the first channel memberand a cooperating outwardly extending flange at the closed end of eachof the links of the second channel member.
 3. An astragal according toclaim 1 which includes means operable by any substantial entry of anylink of the second channel member into the first channel member wherebyfurther movement of the panel members is stopped.